ORAFS Student Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

The American Fisheries Society's Oregon Chapter is delighted to launch a contest for four student scholarships, each tailored for associate, undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral students. The scholarships aim to advance the AFS's objectives by incentivizing and fostering the education and growth of future fisheries professionals. The OR AFS Scholarship Committee and ExCom have the discretion to award these scholarships, typically on an annual basis.

The scholarship package includes a $2,000 check, an award certificate, professional acknowledgment at the Annual Meeting and in Fisheries and the Piscatorial Press, along with the standard student benefits of discounted registration and group accommodation options at the Annual Meeting. The scholarships will be officially presented at the forthcoming OR AFS Annual Meeting, which the recipients are required to attend.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. The applicant should be enrolled or accepted for admission into a degree program in Oregon
2. The applicant's major should be related to fisheries science
3. The applicant should be a current OR AFS member, but can join AFS and the Oregon Chapter at the time of applying for the scholarship
4. The applicant should not have received the same Oregon Chapter AFS Scholarship in the preceding year

RECIPIENT OBLIGATIONS:

• Recipients must commit to attending the upcoming Annual Meeting to receive the award if chosen (scholarship funds can be used to cover meeting expenses and future AFS membership fees).
• Recipients must submit a 1-page Fishery Feature to the Piscatorial Press detailing their use of scholarship funds and/or fishery experiences during the scholarship year.

REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS:

1. A 1-page cover letter outlining how your academic and professional growth has contributed or will contribute to the AFS objectives of:

• Advocating for the conservation, development, and appropriate utilization of fisheries resources;
• Encouraging the growth and progress of fisheries science;
• Collecting, interpreting, and sharing scientific and technical information about fisheries; and
• Supporting the teaching of fisheries science in higher education institutions

You are urged to include undergraduate and graduate experience or research, as well as volunteer and work experience to illustrate the relevance of your professional growth to the AFS objectives. Essays can also discuss any grants, honors, or awards you have received; the impact of a class project; or how you envision your future contributions to fisheries science will advance the AFS objectives. Essays will be evaluated based on your ability to articulate your ideas in writing and the alignment of your goals and experience with the AFS objectives.

2. Copies of official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended in the last two years (photocopies of official transcripts are acceptable).

3. A recommendation letter from a mentor or another professional, who must be an AFS member. The letters should highlight the applicant's potential to be a valuable AFS member and to contribute to fisheries science. It is the applicant's duty to reach out to references and ensure their recommendation letters are sent to Helena Linnell (scholarships@orafs.org) by the deadline.